THE PROMISED MAHDI Allamah Muhammad Baqir al-Majlisi English Translation of Biharul Anwar, Volume 13 (Old Edition)/Volumes 51-52-53 (New Edition) Kitabul Ghaibah – Book of Occultation Imam Mahdi (a.t.f.s.) – the twelfth Imam of the Twelver Shia Part I Translator Sayyid Athar Husain S.H. Rizvi Ja’fari Propagation Centre Mumbai – 400 050 - India The Promised Mahdi 2 Publisher’s Preface Title : The Promised Mahdi (English Translation of Biharul Anwar volumes on Imam Mahdi a.s.) – Part I Author : Allamah Muhammad Baqir al-Majlisi (r.a.) Published : Ja’fari Propagation Centre 94, Asma Manzil, Room no. 10, Bazar Road, Opp. Khoja Masjid, Bandra (W), Mumbai – 400 050. India Tel.: 91-22-26425777, E-mail: [email protected] Scheme of Chapters of The Promised Mahdi Chapter One: Holy Birth of the Imam of the Age (a.s.) and the circumstances of his respected mother Chapter Two: His names, titles, patronymic and their reasons Chapter Three: Prohibition of pronouncing the name of Imam Zamana (a.s.) Chapter Four: Attributes, traits and lineage of Imam Zamana (a.s.) Chapter Five: Verses about the Rise of the Qaim Chapter Six: Words of Allah and His Messenger about the Qaim as narrated by Shia and Sunni Chapter Seven: Narrations of Amirul Momineen (a.s.) in this regard Chapter Eight: Narrations of Imams Hasan and Husain (a.s.) about the Promised Mahdi Chapter Nine: Narrations from Imam Zainul Abideen (a.s.) Chapter Ten: Narrations from Imam Muhammad Baqir (a.s.) Chapter Eleven: Narrations of Imam Ja’far Sadiq (a.s.) Chapter Twelve: Narrations of Imam Musa Kazim (a.s.) Chapter Thirteen: Narrations of Imam Ali bin Musa Reza (a.s.) Chapter Fourteen: Narrations of Imam Muhammad Taqi (a.s.) Chapter Fifteen: Narrations of Imam Ali Naqi (a.s.) and Imam Hasan Askari (a.s.) Chapter Sixteen: Prophecies of Soothsayers engraved on rocks The Promised Mahdi 4 Chapter Seventeen: Arguments of Shaykh Tusi Chapter Eighteen: Occultations of the Prophets and Imam Zamana (a.s.) Chapter Nineteen: People with long lifespans in the History of Humanity – longevity of Imam Zamana (a.s.) Chapter Twenty: Miracles and narratives of his Emissaries Chapter Twenty-one: The Emissaries who communicated between the Shia and the Qaim during the minor occultation Chapter Twenty-two: Those who falsely claimed to be emissaries and gateways to the Imam *END OF VOLUME 51* Chapter Twenty-three: Those who have seen His Eminence (a.s.) Chapter Twenty-four: Report of Saad bin Abdullah Ashari Chapter Twenty-five: Causes of the Occultation of the Imam and how the people will benefit from the holy being of the Imam during Occultation Chapter Twenty-Six: Test of the Shia during Occultation of Imam Zamana (a.s.) and prohibition of fixing the time of reappearance Chapter Twenty-Seven: Excellence of waiting for reappearance, merits of Shia during Occultation and the best deeds of that time Chapter Twenty-Eight: Those who falsely claim meeting the Imam (a.s.) during Major occultation and that the Imam comes visits the people but no one recognizes him Chapter Twenty-Nine: Those who have met the Imam (a.s.) during the Major Occultation and near to the time of the Author Chapter Thirty: Signs of Reappearance Chapter Thirty-One: Reappearance of Imam Zamana (a.s.), its signs and what all will occur after that The Promised Mahdi 5 Chapter Thirty-Two: Companions of Imam Zamana (a.s.) *END OF VOLUME 52* Chapter Thirty-Three: What will happen at the time of the Reappearance of Imam Zamana (a.s.) according to the report of Mufaddal bin Umar Chapter Thirty-four: Rajat (The Return) Chapter Thirty-five: Successors of Imam Qaim (a.s.) Chapter Thirty-six: Epistles issued by Imam Mahdi (a.s.) *END OF VOLUME 53* The Promised Mahdi 6 Table of Contents Publisher’s Preface ......................................................................................... 2 Introduction .................................................................................................. 13 Special Features of this Translation ................................................................ 13 The Author .................................................................................................... 15 Father – Allamah Majlisi, the First ................................................................. 15 Sons of Majlisi I .............................................................................................. 16 Allamah Majlisi ............................................................................................... 16 Allamah Majlisi and the post of Shaykhul Islam ............................................ 16 Valuable writings of Allamah Majlisi ............................................................. 16 Translations of the various books of Allamah Majlisi .................................... 18 Teachers of Allamah Majlisi ........................................................................... 19 Students of Allamah Majlisi ............................................................................ 19 His Death ......................................................................................................... 19 Chapter One: Holy Birth of the Imam of the Age (a.s.) and the circumstances of his respected mother ....................................................... 20 Chapter Two: His names, titles, patronymic and their reasons ............... 51 Chapter Three: Prohibition of pronouncing the name of Imam Zamana (a.s.) ................................................................................................................ 56 Chapter Four: Attributes, traits and lineage of Imam Zamana (a.s.) ..... 61 Chapter Five: Verses about the Rise of the Qaim ..................................... 71 Chapter Six: Words of Allah and His Messenger about the Qaim as narrated by Shia and Sunni....................................................................... 105 Chapter 1: His advent in the last period of time ............................................ 127 Chapter 2: Mahdi is from my progeny and from the Progeny of Fatima ...... 128 Chapter 3: Mahdi is a leader of Paradise ....................................................... 128 Chapter 4: Allegiance to the Mahdi .............................................................. 128 Chapter 5: People of the east will support the Mahdi ................................... 129 Chapter 6: Duration of his rule ...................................................................... 129 Chapter 7: Isa bin Maryam (a.s.) prays behind the Mahdi ............................ 130 Chapter 8: His looks ...................................................................................... 132 Chapter 9: Mahdi is from the progeny of Imam Husain (a.s.) ...................... 133 Chapter 10: Munificence of the Mahdi ......................................................... 134 Chapter 11: Mahdi is not Isa Ibne Maryam (a.s.) .......................................... 135 Chapter 12: The Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.s.) is the first, Isa (a.s.) is the last and the Mahdi is in the middle ...................................................................... 136 Chapter 13: His name and his looks .............................................................. 136 Chapter 14: Village from where he will rise ................................................. 136 The Promised Mahdi 7 Chapter 15: Clouds will shade him ............................................................... 136 Chapter 16: The angel that will come with the Mahdi .................................. 136 Chapter 17: His Complexion and Physique .................................................. 137 Chapter 18: His right cheek mole .................................................................. 137 Chapter 19: Mahdi’s teeth ............................................................................. 137 Chapter 20: Conquest of Constantinople ...................................................... 137 Chapter 21: His rule comes after tyrant rulers .............................................. 138 Chapter 22: Mahdi is a virtuous Imam .......................................................... 138 Chapter 23: Prosperity of the Ummah during his rule .................................. 138 Chapter 24: Mahdi is the Caliph of Allah ..................................................... 138 Chapter 25: Mahdi is living and alive ........................................................... 138 Chapter Seven: Narrations of Amirul Momineen (a.s.) in this regard . 147 Opinion of Ibne Abil Hadid about the promised Mahdi ............................... 151 Another discussion of Ibne Abil Hadid ......................................................... 159 Chapter Eight: Narrations of Imams Hasan and Husain (a.s.) about the Promised Mahdi ......................................................................................... 161 Chapter Nine: Narrations from Imam Zainul Abideen (a.s.) ................ 165 Chapter Ten: Narrations from Imam Muhammad Baqir (a.s.) ............ 168 Chapter Eleven: Narrations of Imam Ja’far Sadiq (a.s.) ....................... 174 Chapter Twelve: Narrations of Imam Musa Kazim (a.s.) ...................... 184 Chapter Thirteen: Narrations of Imam Ali bin Musa Reza (a.s.) ......... 187 Chapter Fourteen: Narrations of Imam Muhammad Taqi (a.s.) .......... 191 Chapter Fifteen: Narrations of Imam Ali Naqi (a.s.) and Imam Hasan Askari (a.s.) ................................................................................................. 195 Chapter Sixteen: Prophecies of Soothsayers engraved on rocks ........... 200 Prediction of Satih the soothsayer before reappearance ................................ 200 Chapter Seventeen: Arguments of Shaykh Tusi ..................................... 204 Proof for Supreme religious leadership ......................................................... 206 Objections of an Ahle Sunnat scholar ........................................................... 206 Reply ............................................................................................................. 207 Further clarification of Shaykhul Taifa ......................................................... 210 Other objections and their replies.................................................................. 212 Queries to the deniers of Imam Zamana (a.s.) .............................................. 213 Evidence of the infallibility of the Imam ...................................................... 216 Truth is not beyond the pale of the Islamic Ummah ..................................... 217 Refutation of Kaisaniyya beliefs ................................................................... 218 Nawusiyya ..................................................................................................... 220 Waqifiya ........................................................................................................ 220 Query ............................................................................................................. 221 Reply ............................................................................................................. 221 Objection ....................................................................................................... 223 Reply ............................................................................................................. 224 What do the other sects say? ......................................................................... 226 The Promised Mahdi 8 Conclusion .................................................................................................... 227 Another Objection ......................................................................................... 228 Reply ............................................................................................................. 228 Question ........................................................................................................ 230 Reply ............................................................................................................. 230 Another Query ............................................................................................... 230 Reply ............................................................................................................. 231 Common excellences in Prophet and Imams ................................................ 231 Objection ....................................................................................................... 234 Reply ............................................................................................................. 234 Application of Divine Penalties during the Occultation of Imam Zamana (a.s.) ....................................................................................................................... 235 Finding the truth during the occultation of the Imam ................................... 236 Statement of Sayyid Murtadha (a.s.) ............................................................. 237 Opinion of an Intellectual .............................................................................. 238 Reply of Another Scholar .............................................................................. 238 Reply of Shaykh Tusi .................................................................................... 239 Another Reply ............................................................................................... 240 Question ........................................................................................................ 240 Reply ............................................................................................................. 241 Question ........................................................................................................ 241 Reply ............................................................................................................. 242 Question ........................................................................................................ 242 Reply ............................................................................................................. 242 Question ........................................................................................................ 243 Reply ............................................................................................................. 243 Occultation of the Imam is also a divine grace (Lutf) ................................... 243 Concealed Births ........................................................................................... 244 Why the Promised Mahdi was born in an Extraordinary Manner ................. 245 Question ........................................................................................................ 246 Reply ............................................................................................................. 246 Disappearance of the prophets ...................................................................... 247 Long age of Imam Zamana (a.s.) is not extraordinary .................................. 249 Reply ............................................................................................................. 249 Objection ....................................................................................................... 251 Reply ............................................................................................................. 251 A glance at our opinion ................................................................................. 252 Solitary report and Widely related reports .................................................... 253 Question ........................................................................................................ 254 Reply ............................................................................................................. 254 Explanation of Allamah Majlisi .................................................................... 258 Chapter Eighteen: Occultations of the Prophets and Imam Zamana (a.s.) ...................................................................................................................... 261 Birth of His Eminence, Musa (a.s.) ............................................................... 267 The Promised Mahdi 9 Disappearance of Isa (a.s.) ............................................................................ 267 Longevity of Nuh (a.s.) ................................................................................. 268 Chapter Nineteen: People with long lifespans in the History of Humanity – longevity of Imam Zamana (a.s.) ........................................................... 273 Abu Duniai Muammar .................................................................................. 273 Reports of Abu Duniawi ............................................................................... 275 Statements of Shaykh Saduq about Abu Duniai Maghribi ............................ 277 Ubaid bin Sharid Jurhami .............................................................................. 282 Rabi bin Dhaba Fazari ................................................................................... 283 Shaqqul Kahin and his wise counsels ........................................................... 284 Shaddad bin Aad bin Iram and his paradise. Like which nothing was ever made on this earth ......................................................................................... 286 Auf bin Kunana and his wise statements ...................................................... 294 Inscription on the Ehram Tablet of Egypt ..................................................... 296 Lubaid bin Rabia ........................................................................................... 299 Aktham bin Saifee ......................................................................................... 303 Wise bequest of Aktham bin Saifi to his children ......................................... 306 Shaykh Saduq’s view .................................................................................... 308 Sarbabak Hindi .............................................................................................. 309 Abdullah Yemeni Moammar ......................................................................... 310 Shaykh Baba Ratan Moammar ...................................................................... 311 Another Aged Person .................................................................................... 311 Abu Amr Uthman bin Khattab bin Abdullah bin Awwam (Moammar) ....... 313 Moammar Mashriqi ....................................................................................... 314 Harith bin Kaab Moammar ........................................................................... 315 Mustaughar Moammar .................................................................................. 316 Duraid bin Zaid Moammar ............................................................................ 316 Zuhair bin Janab Moammar .......................................................................... 316 Zul Asba Adwani .......................................................................................... 317 Mady Karb Himyari ...................................................................................... 317 Rabi bin Zaba Fazari ..................................................................................... 317 Abu Tamahan Qini ........................................................................................ 317 Abdul Masih bin Baqila Ghassani ................................................................. 317 Nabigha Jodi.................................................................................................. 319 Luqman bin Aad ............................................................................................ 320 Zabira bin Saeed ............................................................................................ 320 Duraid bin Sama Jashami .............................................................................. 321 Mohsin bin Ghassan ...................................................................................... 321 Amr bin Hamama Doosi ............................................................................... 321 Harith bin Mazaz Jurhami ............................................................................. 321 Yarab bin Qahtan .......................................................................................... 321 A brief account of the long lived Persians ................................................ 322 Afridun, the Just ............................................................................................ 322 Amr Aaamir Maziqiya .................................................................................. 322 The Promised Mahdi 10 Jalhama bin Adad bin Zaid bin Yashjab ....................................................... 322 Amr bin Lahih ............................................................................................... 322 Aged Personalities of the Old Testament and their ages ............................... 323 Chapter Twenty: Miracles and narratives of his Emissaries ................. 325 An Interesting Story ...................................................................................... 326 Another interesting story ............................................................................... 328 Reports of Muhammad bin Salih .................................................................. 331 Story of Ahmad Dinawari ............................................................................. 332 Muhammad bin Ali Alawi Husaini ............................................................... 339 Hasan bin Nadhr ............................................................................................ 341 Sons of Qasim Ibne Yala ............................................................................... 342 Dismissal of the servant ................................................................................ 343 Muhammad bin Ahmad ................................................................................. 343 Muhammad bin Ibrahim Mahziyar ............................................................... 343 Ahmad Ibne Hasan ........................................................................................ 344 Extraordinary incident of Qasim Ibne Ala .................................................... 345 Messenger of the people of Qom .................................................................. 349 Explanation of Shaykh Tusi .......................................................................... 350 Abu Surah Zaidi ............................................................................................ 351 Abu Ghalib Zurari ......................................................................................... 353 Another Story ................................................................................................ 355 “He is not my son!” ....................................................................................... 356 Shaykh Saduq and his brothers ..................................................................... 357 Muhammad bin Shadhan ............................................................................... 357 Man from Sawad ........................................................................................... 358 The cost of the slave was less ....................................................................... 358 Muhammad Ibne Ibrahim Ibne Mahziyar ..................................................... 358 Khuzistani Scribe .......................................................................................... 359 Messenger of the man from Balkh ................................................................ 359 Ahmad bin Hilal Sufi .................................................................................... 361 Hasan Ibne Fadhl Yamani ............................................................................. 361 Ali Ibne Muhammad Shamshati .................................................................... 362 Abu Rija Misri............................................................................................... 363 Abul Qasim Ibne Abi Habis .......................................................................... 364 The woman who was not pregnant ................................................................ 366 Predictions ..................................................................................................... 366 Reports of Saad bin Abdullah Ashari ............................................................ 367 Muhammad Ibne Ali Aswad ......................................................................... 368 Shaykh Saduq Muhammad bin Babawayh .................................................... 368 The Lady of Aba ........................................................................................... 369 Ja’far Ibne Muhammad Ibne Matil ................................................................ 369 Abul Hasan Aqiqi .......................................................................................... 370 Muhammad Ibne Shadhan ............................................................................. 372 Murjia partner................................................................................................ 372